The NASCAR champion comments ahead of his final season
Kevin Harvick has announced that he’ll retire following the 2023 NASCAR season. The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion made the announcement on Thursday.
Hear from Kevin Harvick on his NASCAR retirement below.
The 47-year-old enters his final season tied for 9th on the all-time wins list. He currently has 60 wins in point paying races.
Harivick and wife Delana have two children. Their 10-year-old son Keelan has been racing go karts, around the world. Their 5-year-old daughter Piper has just started driving a go kart as well.
Recently, Harvick was seen wearing a “4Ever” patch on his racing suit. The images was taken as he shot promo with Ryan Preece ahead of the 2023 season. Fans were quick to point out that the patch would likely hint at a retirement tour.
Now, that has been confirmed.
Harvick will make his 800th career NASCAR Cup Series start on April 23 at Talladega Superspeedway.
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Kevin Harvick comments
“There is absolutely nothing else in the world that I enjoy doing more than going to the racetrack, and I’m genuinely looking forward to this season,” said Harvick.
“But as I’ve gone through the years, I knew there would come a day where I had to make a decision. When would it be time to step away from the car?”
“I’ve sought out people and picked their brains. When I asked them when they knew it was the right time, they said it’ll just happen, and you’ll realize that’s the right moment. You’ll make a plan and decide when it’s your last year.”
“It’s definitely been hard to understand when that right moment is because we’ve been so fortunate to run well. But sometimes there are just other things going on that become more important and, for me, that time has come.”
“In the last year, I think I’ve seen Keelan race three times while he’s been in Europe. I go to the go-kart track with Piper and she makes twice as many strides in a day while I’m there than she would in a day when I’m not there. It takes a lot of time to organize the level of racing they’re doing, and to be around that is important to me,” Harvick said.
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Joining NASCAR in the No. 29
Harvick filled the seat for the No. 3 team following the passing of Dale Earnhardt. The car number was changed to 29 or 2.9.
“Dale’s passing changed our sport forever, and it changed my life forever and the direction it took. It took me a long time to really get comfortable to really even think about things that happened that day,” Harvick said.
“Looking back on it now, you realize the importance of getting in the Cup car, and then we wound up winning my first race at Atlanta in the 29 car after Dale’s death. The significance and the importance of keeping that car on the racetrack and winning that race early at Atlanta – knowing now what it meant to the sport, and just that moment in general of being able to carry on, was so important.”
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Harvick and Rodney Childers
The pairing is the longest active driver/crew chief pairing in the sport.
“Rodney and I are pretty much the same age with very similar backgrounds, as far as racing goes. But we’re kind of opposites in that he’s very calm, cool and quiet, and I’m kind of rambunctious and full of excitement. That pairing has brought a lot of respect just because I know his demeanor, he knows my demeanor, and it’s a good balance in the middle,” Harvick said.
“We know each of us can do the job, and we believe in that and each other, and a lot of that comes down to conversations, being able to communicate. We communicate well, and that’s what makes a good pairing – being able to talk and communicate and put those conversations into action.”
Harvick added, “And when you’re wrong, understanding when you’re wrong, and working through that and not have anybody’s feelings get hurt and start pointing fingers That’s what’s made it work.”
Tony Stewart comments
“I competed against Kevin for a long time and I was so happy to finally have him a part of our race team,” said Stewart.
“He’s incredibly reliable – consistent and calculated on the track with a drive to always be better. That’s what you want in a teammate. He knows what he needs to be successful, and his will to win helped elevate our entire company.”
“I want Kevin to savor every lap this season, to compete like hell and to take it all in. He’s made all of us at Stewart-Haas Racing incredibly proud and we want to make his last season his best season.”
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Steve Phelps comments
“With championships across several NASCAR series and a NASCAR Cup Series win total that ranks in the top 10, Kevin Harvick’s legacy as one of the all-time great drivers is secure,” the NASCAR President stated.
“Beyond his success inside a race car, Kevin is a leader who truly cares about the health and the future of our sport – a passion that will continue long after his driving days are complete. On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, I congratulate Kevin on a remarkable career and wish him the best of luck in his final season.”
